Achilles the cat tips Nigeria to beat Argentina

Argentina has only one point from two matches after drawing 1-1 with Iceland and recording an embarrassing 0-3 loss to Croatia.

Follow Argentina vs Nigeria tonight with Express Sport.

Maradona, who captained Argentina to glory in 1986, and is one of his Country's most vocal supporters, believes that the nature of his former sides lacklustre performance against the Croats was an insult to players who have worn the famous Blue and White shirt in the past.

Messi was kept quiet as Argentina suffered their heaviest first round group stage defeat since 1958, but the Barcelona forward could yet have his say at what is likely his fourth and final World Cup. If not, no problem.'Sampaoli was reported to be in talks with Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia late on Saturday night but looked like keeping his job, though having to take account of the players' concerns.

Messi salvaged a disastrous campaign under three different managers with a hat-trick away to Ecuador in the Albiceleste's final qualifier.

"I think that match was complicated for Leo, the structure of the game didn't favour him and he didn't get a lot of balls from the midfield", Sampaoli told a pre-match news conference at Krestovsky Stadium after being informed his star man enjoyed fewer touches of the ball than goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

"He is a human being who has his frustrations because things haven't worked out, but so are we all".

A month on from Messi's rescue mission in Ecuador, he sat out a friendly as Nigeria beat Argentina 4-2 back in November to highlight how reliant even a squad containing Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala remain on their number 10.

Someone else said: "Messi is the best player for me". Nigeria can advance with a draw as long as they stay ahead in goal differential if Iceland beats Croatia.

In all there have been 47 own goals in World Cup history‚ which means 13 percent have come in this tournament alone. "But sometimes you have to cling to something".

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